Very confused.... To switch or not to switch??? Help! Need advice

[Nikki & Charlie]

So Charlie is exactly 8 weeks old, and the breeder we got him from swears by raising her dogs on TLC adult dog food. Regardless of them being puppies, she starts them all on adult food. TLC is all natural and the ingredients are all natural.

I took Charlie to the vet for his first check up and she highly recommends that we switch Charlie to puppy food... Hill Science Diet, sold at the vet, is what she recommends. We were given a free bag and we mixed half of it with half of the TLC and Charlie LOVES it. She also suggested that once he's older we should switch him to food that's geared towards larger dogs.

My dilemma is ...

a) does he really need to be on puppy food?

b) should we bother to switch or no? ... If we keep him on TLC, his health guarantee is covered for 2 years instead of one.. Which covers hereditary hip/elbow displaysia and eye problems ...

c) Hills science diet is really good food and not many people know of TLC...


I am beyond confused!!!

[Stella]

I had a good teacher!!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Looks like the Food Groupies pretty much have it covered, and there is a ton of info here in the Food Group about all of these issues, but to sum up:

1. There is no nutrition curriculum in vet school and whatever information the vets have about food is provided by Hill's Science Diet. Never buy Hill's or any other food your vet sells, and ignore all of the vet's advice about commercial dog food brands. 

Hill's is not good food, it is absolute garbage. People knowing or not knowing about a food has nothing to do with its quality. Please do some browsing and reading here in the FG discussions. 

2. Too late now, but I would never buy a puppy from a breeder whose health warranty depends on your feeding a specific brand of food. In most cases, the food is a mediocre product sold thru a multi-level marketing plan, better known as pyramid scheme, and your breeder gets commissions when you buy it. That's the only reason she wants you to feed it, and that's how she knows whether you are feeding it. Unfortunately, you are stuck with the terms of her agreement. TLC is not a great food, and it has a horrible Omega 6:3 ratio, plus it's carb heavy. Personally, I'd go ahead and feed what I wanted. You need health insurance for your pup anyway, and most serious health issues show up after 2 anyway. 

3. Is Charlie a standard? What is his expected adult weight? "Large breed" formulas are intended for dogs who are expected to top 90 lbs as adults. (Another example of how much the vets know about dog food). 

4. Never, ever change a puppy's food for at least two weeks after he comes home, for several reasons. That includes treats, too. Give exactly what the breeder was giving any nothing else.

5. You don't need a "puppy" formula, but if you feed an "adult" formula, it must be one that is AAFCO certified as meeting the nutritional standards for all life stages.